Early Risers.

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

There wasn’t as much traffic on the roads as I’d thought there would be, so it took me less than half an hour to get to ‘The Christie’ this morning. The car park was almost full, but I managed to find one of the few remaining places, but that was on the top (12th) floor! 108 steps to and from the top, sad, but I counted them! Thankfully the entrance isn’t far away, but that was probably just as well, as there was a queue to go in. But they were very efficient and I only had to wait about 5 minutes. Once I’d booked in I managed a couple of pages of the latest BRM before I was called in. The phlebotomist was very good, I didn’t feel a thing and there was no bruising to be seen later either, I’ll get the results of today’s test next week. After less than 5 minutes, I’m out of there and heading back to the car park. 

 

Once back home, I made myself a muggertea, then got changed and then headed to the workshop. I then set up the bathroom radiator for painting. I decided to pass a length of rod through the radiator and then hang from a couple of stands. That way I could paint both sides together without having to handle it. I managed the first coat before dinner and a second after dinner. I then left it outside Ian the sun to dry, before taking it to the cellar. As the bathroom is due to be painted shortly, I shall take advantage of the fact the radiator is in the cellar and paint the wall behind it before putting it back. The rest of the wall will be done in the next few weeks.

 

It started to rain about 10 o’clock this evening, followed by thunder and lightning about 11 o’clock. It’s not local to us, I’d say about 20 miles or so away, probably the Oldham or Ashton area, it’s been quite spectacular though!

 

Terrible news from Stonehaven. 

 

Fingers crossed for little Grace and her family. 

 

Goodnight all 

[southern42]

' morning (just) all from red dragon land.

 

Thoughts and best wishes to Neil and baby Grace and family, and to Dave.

Good to have you popping in Andy.  Hope we can all do our little bit to cheer you up and everything works out for you.

 

I was not going to miss the sunshine earlier today but it was lunchtime by the time I got out there.  Lunch on the step, then a last go at the much overgrown forsythia - Ray taking the chainsaw to branches I picked out for him.  A quick reduction of the leafy growth into the garden waste bin, just before the thunder started to rumble in the mountains behind us.  Then the cycle continued with bright flashes of lightening in the kitchen window, the thunder moving overhead accompanied by spots of rain.  That looked to be that but no.  There followed a heavy downpour with hail, chuckinitdarn, you might say.  Next time I looked out we were surrounded by mist which largely cleared by dinner time leaving a red sunset on clouds above and the remnants of mist below.

 

Well, it is that time again - where does the day go?

' night all and nos da.

 

Polly

 

[The Stationmaster]

Sorry to hear about little Grace and I hope it can be dealt with once the root cause is established, fingers crossed.   The Good Doctor suffered the meconium version but that was relatively simple to deal with as they knew what it was right from the start. 

No more thunder, no rain, no lightning - nothing very frightening, so far.  On the latestorecast it has been retimed from its earlier estimated arrival between 07.00 and 08.00 to drop in between 11.00 and 12.00 - I'll believe it when it happens.  But they did get one thing right, Oxford had heavy rain and fortunately it had finished before the GD got there.

 

For those interested in the site of the derailment south of Stonehaven there is a map in the thread in 'Prototype Discussions. After various (extremely) amateur theorists ignored appeals from the Boss to keep their typing fingers locked away various posts were removed and the thread has been locked.   Overall not a good day for news and I hope Dave H's baling out and drying operations proceed well.

[Tony_S]

Evening all.

I had a phone call from the Cardiac unit to prepare me for my visit in September. Shielding before attending Isn’t necessary now but they ask you not to go to crowded places and to follow social distancing. I said I wasn’t going anywhere due to my other medication. I have to have a Covid test and a blood test a couple of days before. The stenting doesn’t seem to be the day stay version. I will be “on the table “ for about three hours with access to my heart from groin and wrist. I will be kept in for about 24 hours afterwards. Sounds fun. Though earlier in the year the prediction was for triple bypass surgery so this is an easier option. 
Aditi has been on the phone today. Kettering SiL and Enfield BiL have birthdays on the same day. Both gifts have gone astray. One company were lovely. The other seemed to initially say the item had been signed for and we needed to deal with the Royal Mail. We looked at the signature but of course at present Royal Mail sign after observing you or are supposed to (our posties do). Whatever happened in Enfield didn’t happen at the address it was supposed to go to.  Aditi suggested the gift voucher should be cancelled and a new one issued. This is happening. The first company said as the birthday had been missed they would send a replacement by DPD. The error causing the loss wasn’t theirs really anyway (computer auto form fill put in our postcode and Aditi didn’t check it).

We are forecast to have and rain and thunder tomorrow morning. The south of England is almost certain to be wet as the British equivalent of a rain dance I’d happening near Southampton.

Tony

Edited August 12, 2020 by Tony_S

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all.

[skipepsi]

Oh the joy of being banished to the only bedroom with air con  me and my CPAP machine will be fine!  Night All.

[Florence Locomotive Works]

Evening all,

 

First off best wishes to Neil and Grace. Secondly, I believe I have found a way for the engine to power the dynamo, by using the pulley next to the flywheel instead of it being directly driven from said flywheel. Unfortunately I have no way to test this as I ran out of fuel last night, so some needs ordering off Amazon.  Most of today was spent cleaning and sorting through stuff in my room, as its getting far to cluttered even for my liking. Not sure how I will get rid of it as a garage sale doesn't seem the greatest option given global circumstances. I will be posting much less starting next week, as school starts. I'm on a hybrid schedule, so will be going in tuesdays and fridays if my memory serves. I also might get some time during lunch, but that seems doubtful. Social distancing and masks will be used (hopefully) to there full extent. 

 

 

stay healthy,

 

Douglas

[Florence Locomotive Works]

Goodnight all, from Greencountry.

 

Douglas

[J. S. Bach]

Prayers and good wishes to Neil and baby Grace and family.

 

Good night owl from the Piedmont.

[pH]

I used a brace and bit today for the first time in a while. I always enjoy using it, it feels and sounds so satisfying. It’s only used for ‘rough’ work, usually for landscape timbers in the yard.

Like several of my ‘only used occasionally’ tools, I got it nth-hand from an ‘antique’ store in the town, now unfortunately closed. At the time, I was building a low wall of 4x4 timbers at the front of the house and was not having a lot of success with a large bit in an electric drill. It was surprising how many passers-by commented on my use of a brace and bit.

[TheQ]

10 hours ago, Coombe Barton said:

I'm sure that by reading past posts I'd find out where this is.

But, please, where is it?

Hoveton,  just north of the river Bure,  the opposite bank to Wroxham. 

Many grokles think they are in Wroxham because every road junction in the tourist area is occupied by a branch of Roys of Wroxham. 

Roy's of Wroxham was so named because their deliveries to them of stock were sent by rail to Wroxham and Hoveton station,  addressing stuff to Hoveton the deliveries went astray.  Roy's never had a business in Wroxham till a couple of years ago when they bought the petrol station. 

[TheQ]

11 hours ago, Chris116 said:

Yesterday the seaweed readers said we would have thunderstorms around noon and 6pm. By noon today that had changed to 6pm and 9pm. Having got to 6pm the thunderstorms are now due at 9pm and midnight.

 

I wonder why I don't have any faith whatsoever in our weather forecasters and haven't had since the famous hurricane that was not going to happen but saw all the local trees lying down the following morning!

Still wasn't a hurricane though.. 

[chrisf]

Greetings one and all, with thoughts to Great Uncle Neil and little Grace, to all touched by the accident at Stonehaven and to the lesser-spotted Andyram who popped in yesterday.

 

The BBC played ducks and drakes with the schedule again last night.  Why, I wondered, was the latest Portaloo programme pulled with no notice?  The hapless complaints department, whose name was Daniel, had not been briefed and tried to placate me with guff.  Programmmes are often changed at short notice, he said.  I know that: why do you think I am complaining?  My theory is that to show it would have upset some sensitivities following the Stonehaven incident.  That won't wash.  Stonehaven was on the news channel all day, with news being ripped and read but not understood by those presenting it.

 

Much more satisfying was the e-conversation with Harry earlier in the day.  He had a day off from work, for no better reason than to use up his annual leave.  He says that the job is fine - that's the one where he has been putting in 12 hour days working at home - and that he has no mental health issues.  I'm not so sure about that, given what we were discussing.  He is on a break from the boyfriend, "again", and has not yet told him about something important that will not please him when he finds out.  Young love - honestly!  Above all, he was relaxed and at his best, for once.

 

Later, I chased the surgery about being admitted to the on-line system which allows remote ordering of prescriptions and other unspecified goodies.  Somehow Reception had got my e-mail address wrong.  By return came an e-mail with three passwords.  It will be fun sorting that lot out.   With all that activity, lunch had to wait until 5 pm and the ironing until today.

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris 

[jamie92208]

1 hour ago, pH said:

I used a brace and bit today for the first time in a while. I always enjoy using it, it feels and sounds so satisfying. It’s only used for ‘rough’ work, usually for landscape timbers in the yard.

Like several of my ‘only used occasionally’ tools, I got it nth-hand from an ‘antique’ store in the town, now unfortunately closed. At the time, I was building a low wall of 4x4 timbers at the front of the house and was not having a lot of success with a large bit in an electric drill. It was surprising how many passers-by commented on my use of a brace and bit.

In the 70's the brace and bit was the favoured implement of the burglar. The Black Panther started out as a brace and bit burglar, 15 houses in one night on an estate in Morley.  I once chased a burgar in the early hours. I didn't get him but did get his brace and bit.  I've still got my fathers one, which I believe used to belong to his uncle so dates from the 19th Century.  A very nice tool to use.   As far as I am aware neither my father or great uncle were burglars.

 

Jamie

 

 

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from a very damp part of the Charente.  It's rained heavily already and we may have more to come from the look of the sky.  Hopfully there's no possibility of the shed floding.  If it does the rest of the village is in trouble. The only item on the agenda  today is to take the Volvo for a retest for its CT (MOT), hopefully  it will pass as the faults found a month ago have been attended  to. I was meant to be heading out transpotting with a mate later but he has had his diary hijacked by his boss so we are having to rearrange.

 

Thoughts with Baby Grace and family.  Also with the families and people involved at Stonehaven.  Andyram,  good to see you back and that the business is going along OK.  

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

 

[Barry O]

Ey up!

Misty with a chill wind here this morning.

Positive thougts go to Baby Grace and her relatives along with special thoughts to AndyRam.

 

We are off to Cleethoepes to see relatives today. All being well I should be eating skate and chips for lunch.

 

Chrisf..at least your surgery is communicating with you. I still await a discussion with Sister Drac 5 weeks after my tests...you can only call between 8am and 10am at other times it is the medical equivalent of the Marie Celeste.

 

Have a good day everyone!

Baz

Edited August 13, 2020 by Barry O
Am not pm

[New Haven Neil]

Morning, and once again thanks to all for the support.  No further news this morning.

 

The Stonehaven derailment looks awful, thankfully a rare occurrence nowadays.

 

Supportive wishes also to Dave and Andyram, trying times for both.

 

This morning it is 20c on Fraggle Rock at 8am, unheard of!  Very muggy at 88% humidity, with little relief promised with a high of 26 (think in relative terms UK = 36!!) preguessed. Some flashbangs possible, there have been showers overnight by the look of it.

 

 

[Andrew P]

Still no signs of any real rain, even though Storms were forecast for last night, there are some damp patches on the Patio but that is about it.

 

Thoughts still with Neil / NHN and Family.

 

Nice to see Andy Ram back, and I hope he gets life sorted.

 

Thoughts also with Dave H and his Flood, having had a minor flood a couple of years back in my TOPS / The Old Potting Shed / Man Cave, I know the sinking feeling of seeing the wood soak up the wet stuff.

 

Off now to strip naked and do a rain dance around the Garden. that would frighten the neighbours if they could see in, haha.

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, Inner Temple Hare,

A much better nights sleep, although the thermometers still show 26-27C in the house, there is a strong breeze from the north blowing through the windows which is nice.

 

I'm poeting today (at 15:00) as I have to use up leave before the end of August, I have every Friday off.. 

The cladding I'm using to finish the MhRC eaves arrived yesterday, at approximately 11:00, Amazon says it will arrive Monday coming.... Anyway Thor permitting, I have now got additional work to do over the 3 day weekend..

 

I've just tried to set this weeks system off  for it's cross check, unfortunately I think the software is looking in the wrong place for the correction files... More delays.. Anyway if I manage to get it going shortly, the boss will now have to process the results tomorrow.

Meanwhile I have some 10 G ohm Resistors to do, the master is just settling now.. takes about 15 minutes.. and there 8 resistors to do.. This puts off the joys of more training for a week...

 

We have a flood in the main lab.. well a big puddle, they've brought in Dehumidifiers to lower the humidity to within specifications.. It looks like the dehumidifier drain pipe has fallen out of the drain in the AC, and some bright spark has locked it and wandered off with the key...

 

Time too.. go see if I've got the first measurement..

 

[AndrewC]

Moaning all from a hot & sticky boring borough. Although not as boring as usual. Seems our tip/landfill/recycling centre went boom in the night. Explosion and fire around 22:00. Will be interesting as that is the borough's main site. It is also where the council stores many of its vehicles including their disability buses. (BAT mobiles). As this is SE London it will take a while before the media discover that something happened. So far all the info is from a couple of tweets from a local radio station and a rather poorly put together paragraph in the Newsshopper. (not even fit for fish wrapping as it is online)

 

Nice to see AndyRam pop by for a virtual hello here. 

 

Mr Q. Id 10 Ts with small cars that don't know what a tachometer is used for can be a source of concern or amusement. A couple of months ag we had one such moron in his high powered biscuit tin revving away down the road, showing off to his mates.  One spectacular rev, followed by a loud bang, lots of yelling, and fire brigade. Only thing left after the burned out shell was towed away was a black spot on the road and an almost complete piston on the pavement. oops. 

 

latte and back to work. Enjoy the day. 

[New Haven Neil]

I once saw a similar thing, a guy in a Ford RS200 rally homologation special showing off (he thought) to the biker gathering at Devils Bridge - the Cumbrian one - one big bang and a lot of little oily bits shooting out of the exhaust,  then bits all over the road.....much laughter from the bikers.

 

 

[jamie92208]

12 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

I once saw a similar thing, a guy in a Ford RS200 rally homologation special showing off (he thought) to the biker gathering at Devils Bridge - the Cumbrian one - one big bang and a lot of little oily bits shooting out of the exhaust,  then bits all over the road.....much laughter from the bikers.

 

 

I believe that a small but significant class of high speed diesel locos had a regular habit of putting legs out of bed. The farmers alongside the ECML grew used to ploughing up pistons.

 

Jamie

[New Haven Neil]

Saw it once at sea, big 2,000hp Ruston generator engine, the governor failed 'wrong-side'.  Made a mess.....and a 'bit' of a bang.

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

The sun is shining and the skin is blue, but with a few large white fluffy things about as well. Looking at the patio you would never have known it chuckeditdarn last night, as the rain has gone! I had a terrible night last night, despite the ceiling fan being on all night it still took a couple of hours to cool down enough to get to sleep. Needless to say I won’t be tackling any hard jobs today, just painting the wall behind the radiator in the bathroom, then I’ll re-fit the radiator after dinner. 

 

It’s lovely and cool in the cellar, so time to go and sit down there for a few hours.

 

Dave, I hope you can get your shed dried out! Floods are an awful thing to have to deal with, 8 years ago during weather a bit like we’re currently experiencing, we had a heavy downpour and ended up with 12 - 14 inches of water in the cellar!

 

Stay safe, stay sane, enjoy whatever you have planned for the day, back later.